In the figure above, points P and Q lie on the circle with center O. What is the value of s?

A. \frac{1}{2}

B. 1

C. \sqrt{2}

D. \sqrt{3}

E. \frac{\sqrt{2}}{2}
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If your mind can conceive it and your heart can believe it, have faith that you can achieve it.

There's a simple reason and misconception as to why people find this question confusing:
--> the 90 degree angle between P and Q seems like it is cut perfectly right down the centre >> to make two 45 degree angles.
--> that's why your brain instinctively thinks the answer is r = sq(3), since the distance seems the same from the left and to the right of the origin!

However, that's the trick to this question and that's why it is CRUCIAL that you train yourself to be highly critical and weary of accepting the simple answer!

Upon closer inspection of the question:

P(-sq(3),1)
Which means the triangle beneath point P has:
height = 1
base = sq(3)
meaning >> radius = 2 (30-60-90 triangle)

This follows the ideal case of the 30-60-90 triangle, which means that opposite to the height of 1, there is an angle of 30 degrees from the x-axis to point P. This means that from the y-axis to point P, there is an angle of 60 degrees (to make a 90 degrees total from x-axis to y-axis). Therefore on the right side, since the figure shows there is a 90 degree angle between point P and Q, 60 degrees have been taken up from the left of the y-axis, which leaves 30 degrees on the right of the y-axis. Furthermore, this leaves 60 degrees from Point Q to the positive x-axis. Therefore, making the exact same 30-60-90 triangle once again, since the radius is the same (the two points lie on the semi-circle). The 60 degree angle is now where the 30 degree angle was on the other triangle, which makes the height now sq(3) and base now 1 >> therefore, base r = 1!

**Have a look at the attachment and then it should make perfect sense!

there is no need for much calculation,
simply switch their X and Y

P and Q are always perpendicular and same distance from O

OP is perpendicular to OQ means you rotate OQ 90 degrees, you will
get OP, in terms of X,Y value, that is just to switch them and flip the sign
to have (-Y,X)

In the figure above, points P and Q lie on the circle with center O. What is the value of s?

Yes you are right.

Point Q in I quadrant (1, \sqrt{3});
Point P in II quadrant (-\sqrt{3}, 1);
Point T in III quadrant (-1, -\sqrt{3}) (OT perpendicular to OP);
Point R in IV quadrant (\sqrt{3},-1) (OR perpendicular to OQ).
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Since OP and OQ are the radii of the circle, and we know P has co-ordinates (-\sqrt{3}, 1), from the distance formula we have OP = OQ = 2. Therefore, s^2+t^2=4. -> (1)
Also from the right triangle, we know the length of PQ=2\sqrt{2}.
Again, using the distance formula, (s+\sqrt{3})^2 + (t-1)^2 = PQ^2 = 8. ->(2)

From (1) and (2) you can solve for s.
Hope this helps.

Correct me if I'm wrong, (and forgive my english)
the coordinates of a point p(x,y) that lays on a circle can be expressed as p(sen,cos).
we know that sen π/6 = cos π/3,
and that sen π/3 = cos π/6

in this case I just have to invert x with y and y with x -> indeed we have p(y,x)

As we know x and y have to be positive we have to change the sign for x, the new coordinates are p (y,-x).

in this way to solve the problem doesn't take more than 20 secs.
hope I was enough clear.

tonebreeze: As requested, I am giving you my take on this problem (though I guess you have already got some alternative solutions that worked for you)

I would suggest you first go through the explanation at the link given below for another question. If you understand that, solving this question is just a matter of seconds by looking at the diagram without using any formulas.
http://gmatclub.com/forum/coordinate-plane-90772.html#p807400

P is (-\sqrt{3}, 1). O is the center of the circle at (0,0). Also OP = OQ. When OP is turned 90 degrees to give OQ, the length of the x and y co-ordinates will get interchanged (both x and y co-ordinates will be positive in the first quadrant). Hence s, the x co-ordinate of Q will be 1 and y co-ordinate of Q will be \sqrt{3}.
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There are more than one way to solve this. I like this way

The line PO has slope =-1/√3
The line QO has slope = t/s
PO and QO is perpendicular so [-1/√3]*t/s = -1 ==> t/s =√3 or √3/1 so s = 1
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The method used to find the length of OP or OQ from origin i.e. the distance formula has been used here as well to find the length of PQ with P as (-[square_root]3,1) and Q as (s,t) which gives us
{s - (-[square_root]3)}^2 + {t-1}^2 = PQ^2 = 8 ->equation 2

from Right angle Triangle POQ we had got the length of PQ^2 as 8

from the figure we can see that OP=OQ = radius of the semicircle. Also Angle POQ = 90degree

thus PQ^2 = OP^2 + OQ^2-------eqn1

using distance formula (O is origin)
OP = sqrt [(1-0)^2 + (sqrt -3 -0)^2] = sqrt [4] = 2 = OQ

also OQ = sqrt [ (s-0)^2 + (t-0)^2] = sqrt[s^2 + t^2]
OQ^2 = s^2+t^2 =4 ----eqn2

now PQ = 2sqrt 2 when we put values of OP and OQ in eqn 1

using distance formula length of PQ = sqrt [ (s+ sqrt3)^2 + (t-1)^2]
PQ^2 = (s+sqrt3)^2 + (t-1)^2 = 8--------eqn3

soving eqn 2 and 3 we get sqrt 3 s = t.Equating this in eqn 2 we get s=1